The present invention is in the field of automobile marketing. Traditionally automobile dealerships have relied upon salespeople to provide consumers with information about one or more vehicles that the consumer may be interested in purchasing. It is often advantageous to provide consumers with such information in a tangible form that a consumer may take with them for comparison shopping and consideration. Such information allows comparison of vehicle features and options between multiple automobiles of a particular model or between different makes and models within a particular segment. One form in which salespeople have provided information is in the form of manufacturer's brochures for new automobiles. Salespeople have also provided individualized information, such as customized data sheets detailing optional equipment, particularly on pre-owned automobiles for which manufacturer's brochures are no longer available.
However, for a variety of reasons, relying on salespeople to deliver tangible information about a particular vehicle is not always possible. One reason is that some customers choose to visit an automobile dealership outside the dealership's normal operating hours. This may be because of consumer scheduling constraints or because of consumer preference. Additionally, some states and/or localities have “blue laws” that require the dealership to be closed on certain days, and thus consumers shopping for vehicles on those days do not have the benefit of receiving information about an automobile in tangible form.
Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a means whereby an automobile dealership could provide tangible information about one or more automobiles to a consumer even when a salesperson is not available.